Cities are amongst our greatest creations. Yet at the start of the twenty-first century there is increasing concern over their unchecked expansion and the detrimental effect this is having on the planet, as induced climate change and ever increasing demands upon the world's resources take effect. How can we make the world's cities more sustainable? Ian Douglas tells the story of cities - why they exist, how they have evolved, the problems they have encountered and those they will face as our century progresses. Global in geographical coverage, and ranging from the cities of the classical world to the megacities of today, it is the first comprehensive environmental history of cities. Suitable as a textbook for undergraduate and master's course in environmental management, environmental science, planning, urban geography, planning.

Ian Douglas is Emeritus Professor of Geography in the School of Environment and Development, Manchester University. He is Past-President of the Society for Human Ecology, President of the International Council for Ecopolis Development; Chairman of the UK UNESCO MAB (Man and the Biosphere) Urban Forum; and Chairman of the UNESCO SCOPE Expert Group on Urban Futures. He is a member of the editorial boards of Catena, Ecological Processes, Geographical Research, and Land Degradation and Development. His books include The Urban Environment (1983), Humid Landforms (1977) and (as co-editor) Companion Encyclopaedia of Geography (2007) and Routledge Handbook of Urban Ecology (2011).

Description

Cities are amongst our greatest creations. Yet at the start of the twenty-first century there is increasing concern over their unchecked expansion and the detrimental effect this is having on the planet, as induced climate change and ever increasing demands upon the world's resources take effect. How can we make the world's cities more sustainable? Ian Douglas tells the story of cities - why they exist, how they have evolved, the problems they have encountered and those they will face as our century progresses. Global in geographical coverage, and ranging from the cities of the classical world to the megacities of today, it is the first comprehensive environmental history of cities. Suitable as a textbook for undergraduate and master's course in environmental management, environmental science, planning, urban geography, planning.

Author Info

Ian Douglas is Emeritus Professor of Geography in the School of Environment and Development, Manchester University. He is Past-President of the Society for Human Ecology, President of the International Council for Ecopolis Development; Chairman of the UK UNESCO MAB (Man and the Biosphere) Urban Forum; and Chairman of the UNESCO SCOPE Expert Group on Urban Futures. He is a member of the editorial boards of Catena, Ecological Processes, Geographical Research, and Land Degradation and Development. His books include The Urban Environment (1983), Humid Landforms (1977) and (as co-editor) Companion Encyclopaedia of Geography (2007) and Routledge Handbook of Urban Ecology (2011).